Low-paid jobs ‘trap’ women aged over 50

The TUC said a rigid workplace culture was preventing a “generation of women” from furthering their careers.

A study found that the gender pay gap is twice as high for women aged over 50 compared with younger women.

Almost half of older women are in part-time work, where the average wage is under £10,000 a year, the union organisation said.

It said older women have “extensive” caring responsibilities such as looking after parents or grand-children, while they also feel more at risk from public sector cuts, as most 50 to 64-year-old women are employed in public administration, education and health.

The report called for paid carers’ leave of up to 10 days a year, unpaid leave for grandparents and more flexibility in jobs.

TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Women in their 50s are the first generation of women to have been protected by equal pay and sex discrimination laws throughout their careers. They were also the first women to have access to paid maternity leave, though many struggled on their return to work as few employers offered flexible working.

“Despite these huge strides, women over 50 are paid a fifth less per hour than men, and many are trapped in low-paid work, with an ever longer wait for their retirement. This generation of women has been let down.

“We need a radical rethink of our workplace culture, which is ill-equipped to cope with the complex work and caring roles that many older women face.”